Game 2: Rangers-Canadiens in review

1) Just please, please, please don’t expect that this is going to be easy. First of all, remember in ’96, the last time these teams played, Montreal won the first two at MSG, then the Rangers won four in a row, three in Montreal. Never saw that coming. But also, these things are never easy. Even sweeps aren’t easy. Montreal was much better in Game 2 than Game 1, and will get better in Game 3.

2) That said, ya boys did a bunch of things, as you know: Won their fifth in a row, four of those on the road; went two games up in a playoff series for the first time in nine series; snapped an NHL record 13-game losing streak when leading a series, and an 11-game losing streak immediately after taking a lead in a series.

3) And how did they do it? Well, again, not easily. The Rangers did get a good bounce when Ryan McDonagh’s shot deflected home off Jacques Gorges immediately, 17 seconds, after the Habs took a 1-0 lead. Enormous point in the game. McDonagh=Monster. And so was his partner, Dan Girardi who, in a game in which the Canadiens came out all fired up and frantic, played a solid, strong, physical and somewhat nasty game. Wore the big-boy pants. McDonagh — I can’t remember how the Rangers got him … anybody? — has six points in the series. My God.

4) And they did it by withstanding a furious start. There was no way the Canadiens could possibly sustain that pace or intensity. But there was also no way they should have been down 2-1 after one period. As Henrik Lundqvist said, the Rangers helped the Habs’ early push. The 1-0 goal came off a Mats Zuccarello cough-up, a puck in his skates, in front. Then there were a couple of terrible D-zone shifts by the Brad Richards line, and Marc Staal and Anton Stralman struggled early. Carl Hagelin took an offensive-zone penalty, and those are never good, but when you’re trying to hold off an avalanche, it’s really bad.

5) But, of course, Lundqvist came up with 40 saves. He’s allowed six goals in this five-game winning streak. Two of the three goals he’s allowed in this series have gone in off a Ranger. Just an incredible shift. The guy is so focused and so prepared, and so mentally tough. After holding off the Habs early, he made that great save on P.K. Subban in the third, up 3-1, and then withstood some dangerous chances during the 6-on-4 power play late, after the Benoit Pouliot penalty.

6) Speaking of which, the Rangers took some dumb ones in this game. Both teams did. Ex-Tire Fire Thomas Vanek took a ridiculous one. Pouliot’s boarding penalty was beyond mindless. Gotta love his compete level in these playoffs but he was really lucky there wasn’t an injury because it could have been a double-minor or a major, and it could have altered this game, could have turned this series into 1-1. And there was no need for that hit at that point. Ditto for Chris Kreider’s penalty. Got to understand the situation. Montreal had nothing going, the Rangers were shutting it down, and bam, he puts them on the power play.

7) Still, Kreider, I thought, handled himself very well considering all the lunacy surrounding his sliding into Carey Price in Game 1. In case you’re just getting back from Mars, Price is out for the series with a knee injury and the Habs fans painted Kreider as a villain, and Habs players looked for some revenge. Kreider ignored it all and played another strong, effective game. It was his screen that allowed Martin St. Louis’ power-play bomb to get through untouched, an enormous goal in the game, for a suddenly (since Kreider came back) revived power play. Also made a great pass on Rick Nash’s goal …

8) Which brings us to the Daily Nash-O-Meter. Scored a garbage goal in Game 1, but it got him off the skid. The one he scored in Game 1 wasn’t garbage at all. Terrific pass from Derek Stepan on the play, too. Nash’s PK play in the third period was a big point in the game. If he gets hot …

9) So now what do the Habs do, having used three goalies in two games? The kid, Dustin Tokarski, wasn’t bad at all, though he didn’t get square on the Nash goal and it went in off his body. Do they stick with him (probably) or go back to backup Peter Budaj? Or do they have anybody else back there behind the curtain?

10) Stepan had another very strong game … but … How many times does he not shoot when he has a chance. I mean, there’s a kid goalie, fighting it after the Nash goal, Stepan has a third-period odd-man rush, they give him the shot and he tried to force a pass. Montreal goes the other way. I mean, talk about killer instinct. Got to fire that puck at the rookie goalie. Got to.

11) Another superb coaching of four lines by Alain Vigneault, and waves of pressure and near textbook protection of the lead. He moved Dominic Moore into injured Derick Brassard’s spot. Moore isn’t Brassard, but when you have a lead, he’s better on that line than Brassard. And that’s not a slight on Brassard. Now, with one game in the next five days — Thank you very much, NBC — Maybe he gets Brassard back for Game 3 (Thursday) or Game 4 (Sunday).

12) AV even had Kreider on the 4-on-4 in the third, a rarity. What next? A timeout? (it’s a joke, relax). Seriously, this is why Kreider needs to figure out the away-from-the-puck stuff, so he can be trusted in those situations that beg for his skill set.

13) New game, new rulebook. Every freakin’ night in these playoffs and all during the regular season, too. They call that stupid one-arm tug every single time (Kreider’s, for example, and he needs to be more aware of that stuff, too). But they let go a brutal slew-foot by Mike Weaver on St. Louis, after a whistle, in front of the net, when both referees really don’t have anything else they need to be watching. They bought a penalty drawn, I thought, by a Hagelin embellishment, and I thought Subban took a dive on Kreider’s, and the penalty that led to St. Louis’ PPG, I thought, was completely bogus.

14) You guys cracked me up yesterday with all your doom and gloom and (probably deserved) dread that this rookie goalie was going to come out of nowhere and shut out ya boys and even up the series. I know, I know. You are Rangers fans. That’s how you think.

Lol @ #1! What, are you protecting our sanity? We know how it goes, we’ve seen it all with this team. I remember that series too. Vincent Damphousse was a hero at MSG for two games. And then his team just fell apart.

We know how it goes. Except I believe this is a different team. Third period last night showed it. They play focused, and they play for each other. And, yeah, they also have Henrik Lundqvist.

Don’t expect a sweep. Don’t expect it to be easy. But in 1996 the rangers dominated every game except one in that series. They outshot montreal both games in New York. There was a belief that the rangers could come back on thibault and the Habs. I dont think there is quite the same belief conversely this year.

Game three in montreal the rangers were all over the Habs.

Game four was all richter. That was the one.

Business as usual in game 5 at home and a big lead in game six.

1996.

Plus that was round one. This is the conference finals. Different teams. Different flaws. I kinda like the rangers chances right now.

Great review as always Carp. Nothing like that morning coffee with a Carp review after a win.

Thoughts:

1. When Stepan passed on that odd man rush, i though about how many times Carp has pointed this bad trait out during the year. Stepan has a great shot, why doesn’t he use it?

2. DEPTH! Ya gotta give Sather credit. Carcillo, Raffi Diaz.. How nice is it to have decent dependable players to slot in when needed? I HATED Carcillo before he got here, but you have to love how he has played for this team.

3. Derek Dorsett and the 4th line: Man, were they good! Brian Boyle who take a lot of crap from this fan base at times does everything you could ask of a 4th line guy and penalty killer. I thought Derek Dorsett was particularly good. He is such a strong skater. At one point, he mad some ridiculous dipsy doodle moves to get a shot on goal. Where the hell did that come from.

4. The Kreider wasn’t perfect. (Dumb penalty) But, “THE” was so strong on his skates and really held up to all the nonsense in Montreal about him. The pass on Nash’s goal was a beauty.

5. Henrik Lundqvist: There are no words…

6. I did not like the MSL trade when it happened. Giving up too much age, giving up draft choices…. But, maybe Sather knew what he was doing.

7. Listening to Boomer and Carton. I love Boomer, he is a true blue fan. But Craig Carton is an asshat when it comes to Hockey. He is as clueless as Francesa.

8. The last two games, I have been participating for the first time in the “it’s go time” game thread. So much fun! I have been missing out. It is like watching the game with a bunch of folks who love the team and the game as much as you do.

My mother is 26 (+60) today. I’m lucky to have her around. Both my parents, in fact. I was watching Marty play last night and kept thinking that it probably won’t fully hit him that he doesn’t have her anymore until this season is over. For all of us who are lucky to still have our parents, don’t take it for granted. Just ask Marty.

Lol, Eric. I too am really enjoying this all, in the now. Game days are tough but that’s how my fandom works. Hope for the best, really, but expect the worse. It’s a conditioned self preservation response.

No negativity here..just some..ahem…recommendations. Brad Richards…another fine effort..maybe no point on the PP….and Mr. Benoit Pouliot/Mr. THE Kreider..try to be a bit less aggressive on the forecheck. Rick Nash…I have been enjoying your defensive play…immensely…but adding some goals as well…simply sublime! Look…I coulld mention everybody….total team effort…so stay thirsty my friends…and as they say in Montreal… Vive Le Roi!

I have been very critical of Nash, but he played great last night. Interesting to note, that the former Blue Jacket beat writer (Portzine?) tweeted that the world should be aware of Nash rising from his slumber. He said Nash binges when he scores…couldn’t have picked a better time.

Great review, Carp…always the first I read after the NHL recap (more to see who they shelected as 3 shtars for comparison)…last point about Rangers fans hit the nail on the head, and the blog on the byte. LGR! It’s not over yet, but starting to look like a *sweep* if Henrik keeps this up.

Nash’s goal never happens if it werent for the display of blazing speed from THE Kreider in game 1.
Look how the D almost collapsed on top of their goalie to take away the space behind them, thankfully Stepan has the smarts to drive the net and THE Kreider has the hockey sense to pass to his wide open team-mate.

Anybody still think it was a dumb idea to sign Hank? Yeah, didn’t think so. He made at least 10 really tough saves last night. Ones that could have easily been goals with lesser goalies. And I saw a few old tyme kick saves and a beaut from him, which means hes’s standing up more. You could just feel his confidence. As much as I like Pouliot’s game, one of these days one of those dumb offensive zone penalties are going to hurt the Rangers. Play aggressive but play smart. McD = beast. Can’t say enough about his game. My son who was very young when the Rangers won the cup in 94 asked me if McD is just like Brian Leetch. And you know, he’s really almost at Leetch level. I think McD is a bit better defensively, but Leetch was better offensively. But in 2 years time, McD could be as good. And Leetch is my favorite all-time Ranger. THAT’S how impressed I am with him.

Uncle Glennie’s moves don’t look all that bad now do they?

I agree about Boyle, he’s really been great playing his type of game. Dorsett surprises me, because he really has some skills. He made that great move, and he had a couple of really nice passes that set up scoring chances.

But this game was Hank’s, and he’s on a roll. The puck must look like a beach ball coming at him now.

“Montreal scored the first goal of the game and was carrying the play when Ryan McDonagh, the defenceman the Canadiens gave away in the Scott Gomez trade, scored on a shot from the point, 17 seconds after Max Pacioretty scored the lone Montreal goal.”

When they mention Mac, they just can’t help but also mention that we got him in a trade for …. SCOTT GOMEZ… LOL!

Great write-up as always. The little things that get you through life. Though I have to say this morning my coffee sucked. Get on that, Carp.

I have only two boneheads of contention with this AM’s assessment.

1) I don’t think the Habs are going to get any better. What they produced in the first period will get them a lead in 9 out of 10 games, and the Rangers are drunk if they think it’s not coming again to start Thursday’s game. They were a force, and Lundqvist isn’t going to stop that kind of onslaught every time.

10) Stepan does not need to change his game. He has a good shot, not a great one, but he is a great passer. Soon after he passed when he should have shot last night (not my opinion) he was alone in the slot and did shoot, forcing a ‘meh’ save. When the goalie is squared up to you in the NHL you have to snipe it, pass it or shoot for a rebound. The extra pass to try for an open-net shot (e.g. Kreider to Nash) has about the same odds of success as trying to ping one in off the post or get a rebound off the goalie’s far-post pad.

Therrien makes some very baffling coaching decisions in my mind. I question Vigneault’s shift selection sometimes but Therrien matching 4th lines over and over and thus freeing up our 3rd line to make moves. Crazy talk.

schadenfreude: a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people

I thought you guys would truly appreciate a small smattering of the comments on the Habs GAME THREAD on the “Hockey’s Future” message board after McDonagh scored. (My personal favorite, comparing Scott Gomez to Herpes!)

For your viewing pleasure: ENJOY!

1.McDonaugh again. holy ****.

2.Welp

Scott Gomez scores

3.And….that’s how you kill momentum…..from the new Habs killer.

4.Well **** ****!

McDonagh. Of course. That trade is looking ****ing worse every game.

5.FUUUUUUUUUU-

Doubly painful, fricking Gomez trade, and an awful response in space. Unlucky placement by Gorges, too, they’ve got to cover Moore and Pouliot a touch better and harder, to not allow those passes.

9.
Originally Posted by RBR View Post
Scott Gomez is like herpes – gift that keeps on giving.
You got that right. You only need to get that **** once and it haunts you for a life time.

10. Bungling Bob Gainey with the trade that keeps on giving

11.McD outplaying Subban big time so far in this series

13.Bob Gainey must be the most incompetent GM there was, who in the right mind trades Ryan McDonagh in a deal for Scott Gomez?? Imagine our defense now, we would be killing: Markov, Subban, McDonagh, Gorges, Emelin, Tinordi, Beaulieu, Weaver

14.
Originally Posted by hockeyfan2k11 View Post
4 points for McDonaugh in game 1?

This new playoff format is helping us a ton. Would’ve had to go through Montreal first, then either Boston or Pittsburgh in the second round and the other one in the ECF. So this path has helped out, but either way they look good.

Forget that Nash scored, his off the puck play has been so much better these last few games. I’ll still say that trade was poor until they win a cup, but he’s been handling himself so much better than many other players would if they were struggling (i.e. Crosby).

Especially took note and loved the way he defended against Subban on the point late in the 3rd, it was like they were dancing step for step. Talk about frustration? Seemed like If Subban had a gun, he would have pulled it out and shot him.

Ever since Kreider came back- the hagelin/richards/St. Louis has been producing. It was the first 3-some AV tried when they got MSL and it didn’t work, but he put them together starting in Game 4 against the Penguins and someone should look at their numbers to show how important its been for the Rangers.

The PP goal that MSL scored, that’s the MSL we thought we were getting from Tampa. That was a real beauty, not only the shot ( world class one-timer roofed to a top-corner past the screen – WOW) but the way he got himself positioned and free in the high slot before the pass.

I still think the Habs are coming off a emotional series with there arch rivals the bruins. That was like there stanely cup. I still think the Habs will get better as the series moves on. I think the rangers have to keep up what there doing and keep focus. I still think this will go 6 games.

I had it Lundqvist-McDonagh-Boyle, with honorable mentions to St. Louis, Girardi, and Nash. Dishonorable mentions to Klein, J.Moops, Stepan, and Pouoliot.

Lundqvist was amazing. And the McDonagh goal was absolutely huge. Honestly, not to much else to take away from that game other than we have to be a lot better in our zone in order to keep winning. Lundqvist can’t steal every game for us like he did last night.

Oh, and is there a worse team in the NHL with a goaltender pulled than us? We never score empty net goals, and I can’t remember the last time we scored a goal with Lundqvist pulled. We just absolutely suck in that situation.

Any explanation why there is ONE game in 5 days and a total off day today for hockey? (Is it they don’t want to go up against The Voice finale? I wouldn’t put it past NBC to do something like that). I wish they could just do every other day so we have a game every night for this round.

THE KREIDER:” What’s your problem, Tokarsky?”
Tokarsky: “You’re everyone’s problem. That’s because every time you go out on the ice, you’re unsafe. I don’t like you because you’re dangerous.”
THE KREIDER: “That’s right! Ice… man. I am dangerous.”

In the 1st period, Habs aggressively forechecked and force the Rangers to put the puck up the boards on the breakout, as the puck came up the boards, they attacked the puck aggressively by pinching their DMen and going 2 men to the puck. Rangers where hemmed in for long periods / shifts.

Rangers made an adjustment to their breakout starting with period 2. It turned the game around.

Stepan was dreadful in his own zone and made really poor decisions on the rush. Yeah, he got the two assists, but I thought the first one was more Kreider’s pass to Nash and Tokarski not playing his angle well on that, and the second one was a good enough pass, but that was more about St. Louis finding a soft spot and absolutely crushing that shot.

Richards had a great play in the first keeping it in from the left point and throwing it towards the net. Perfect opportunity to score…problem tho, it was the Habs left point and it went toward the Ranger goal.

This is truly enjoyable…After cally was traded my son was beside himself excited for st Louis. After 3 weeks. ..not so much. But now…you see that rocket from the slot that he’s done his whole career and it’s hard not to be confident in this team.
Honestly, I don’t believe there is any Ranger, coach included, that hasn’t picked up there game at least a little bit this post season. LGR!

And I realize that this is slightly different because we have Lundqvist playing as good as he ever has, and Fleury still had a chance to Fleury. And, maybe I’ll even change my tune if they win Game 3. But we’ve been around this game too long to think anything is a lock.

The primary goal of defending after the opponents’ goalie has been pulled is not to be scored on, not to score empty-netters. I’d want to see the team stat on goals allowed with the other goalie pulled. If the Rangers have been soft there, fair enough.

Leaving the aeroport this morning, New York Ranger goalie, Henrik Lundquist, had his wrists, ankles, knees, elbows wrapped with cotton and gauze, then his entire body bubble wrapped twice over before being flown to New York City this morning. Two pillows were placed on each side of his head and tied together.
Mr. Lundquist is the goalie for the New York Rangers, currently 2-0 in their Eastern Conference Final Series in the NHL.

Fellow Boneheads, I need your help. Three months ago, when I booked the family’s annual European vacation to start June 7th did I think I would be thinking “What was I thinking?”! So now, being the optimistic bloke that I am, I need to figure out how to watch the SCF games while I’m in Spain. What’s the most reliable to watch these games live while I’m there? You’ll be doing me and my daughter (19 and a HUGE fan) a big favor. We have an Apple laptop which will be our preferred way to view. All suggestions appreciated.

Heave Ho, NBCSports.com streams all the games, but you need to enter your cable provider’s information for the games that are on cable (i.e. not on broadcast NBC). There could be regional restrictions so I’m not sure if it works overseas, but it does in the US.

Peter, couldn’t agree with you more. Been a Ranger fan too long to be duped into a false sense of security.

Though…have to say, watching yesterday’s game was a pleasure. Usually when the Rangers are hanging on to a lead, they dump the puck and weather surges from the other team. Yesterday, they skated it out and kept it in the other team’s zone. Perhaps it was the benefit of a 2-goal lead, but haven’t seen them do that it a long time.

Type into google something along the lines of “Hide my IP address” and you will get instructions that will allow you to watch US content overseas. Did the same thing while visiting my in-laws in Australia to watch Netflix.

Rangers had faced Tokarski before and lit him up. The kid has no big game experience (no matter how much that nitwit McGuire wants to talk about his junior career) and the Rangers are firing on all cylinders.

I was reading a Habs forum last night and they were talking about Tokarski like he was a career AHLer bust. It was probably ledge talk, but the guy has been in the AHL since 2009 and has 7 career NHL starts in that time.

I am seriously on the ledge of taking Prust off the list of former players I continue to like after leaving team. I know the guy has a job to do, and this is a business, but seriously….he is ticking me off.

So, call me arrogant. I totally remember the repulsive feeling of the Rangers losing what was one of the worst playoff games ever a week ago Wednesday to go down 3-1 to Pitt. I remember the futility. That wretched feeling. It WAS over.

I fully realize Montreal could come back like the Rangers did.

Yet, sorry. I just don’t see it. Not without Price. Not after a 7 gamer with Boston.